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2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. BOTELLO.

LEAP TURNER (No Model.)

No. 410,486. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

N ETERS. MUM Wahinflon. D. C.

(No Model.) r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. BOTBLLO.

LEAP TURNER.

No. 410,486. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARIANO BOTELLO, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

LEAF-TU RN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,486, dated September 3, 1889.

Serial No. 283,044, (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARIANO BoTELLo, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico, residing at the cityof Mexico, in the District of Federal and Republic of Mexico, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Leaf-'lurners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of leafturners which operate automatically, and which are especially adapted for the use of musicians when applied to the music-rests of pianos, organs, or other instruments or when combined with music rests or stands not connected with the instrument.

According to my invention the leaf-turning arms of the device are mounted upon a substantially vertical shaft or other suitable support, and each is operated independently of the others by a spring properly connected with it. The arms are provided with upward proj ections adapted to lie between and engage the various leaves to be turned. These arms are graduated in length, or provided with graduated extensions, so that, proceeding along the series of arms from that at the right hand to that at the left hand, each is somewhat shorter than that which precedes it. These graduated ends or extensions are pro vided by placing each upward projection a suitable distance from the end of its respective leaf-turnin g arm. IVhen the arms are all turned about their vertical pivot to the right hand, they are in what may be termed their initial position, in which their actuatingsprings are compressed and tend to swing the arms back through horizontal planes toward the left hand, carrying with them successively the leaves which are engaged by the upward projections. The leaf-turning arms are held in their initial position by a slide which is adapted to be reciprocated in suitable guides in a plane substantially parallel with the leaves to be turned and with the turning-arms when the latter are in their said initial position. The step-by-step movement from left to right is imparted to the said slide by a suitable mechanism, preferably such as may be conveniently actuated by the foot of the operator. This movement of the slide releases the arms successively, beginning with that which is the shortest.

In order to make myinvention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a means for carrying the same into effect.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an instrument having my leaf-turner applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the leaf-turning arms in their final position, or that which they occupy when the turning of all the leaves has been finished. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the topmost arm detached, showing also its actuating-spring. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the means for retaining and releasing the leaf-turning arms. Fig. 5 is a similar View with the front plate removed. Fig. 6 is a perspective view, enlarged, showing my leafturner in operation.

Referring to the drawings, 0 indicates the leaf-turning arms, provided with upward projections D, preferably of wire bent into the form of a right angle, as shown. Each arm Chas at one end a sleeve 1), surrounding and containing the actuating-spring Z). The latter is secured at one end to the interior of the sleeve and at its other end to the central vertical shaft 13, or to a part adapted to fit and to be held from turning upon said shaft, as indicated in Fig. 3. The upper and lower ends of said shaft are supported in suitable brackets A, by means of which the devices thus far described may be mounted upon the front of the instrument beneath the musicrack, as shown in Fig. 1. E is a block adapted to be similarly secured in place in such position at the right of the leaf-turning arms as to receive the graduated extensions of the latter when they are turned to their initial position. \Vhen so turned, their extensions enter a recess 6, of said block.

The retaining-slide, hereinbefore referred to and shown at F is mounted upon the front of the block E, and adapted to be moved to theleft, so as to cover a portion of the recess (5 and to engage all or as many as may be desired of the leaf-turning arms. This slide is held and guided by headed pins or screws f, which pass through the slot f of the slide and are secured in the body of the block. A pressurespring G (see Fig. 5) presses upon the edge of the slide, so that it may offer a slight resistance to being moved, thereby preventing its accidental displacement.

. I shaft Z of the eccentric L.

Upon one of the edges of the slide is formed a series of teeth or a ratchet f which is engaged by a dog or lever H, pivoted to the blockE at h. The opposite and downwardlyextending end of said lever is connected by a cord or wire I with a treadle or other suitable means of actuation. I prefer to conduct the said cord I horizontally to the left (see Fig. 6) and connect it with a bell-crank lever or wheel J, and to actuate the latter by a wire j, secured to the periphery of said wheel upon its right-hand side, or to an arm j, projecting therefrom, extending the said cord jdownward to a suitable treadle J, as indicated in Fig. 1. The wire passes down between two adjacent keys and through a small hole in the lower frame of the key-board, thus avoiding any damage or defacement of the instrument. A spring K bears upon the dog H, pressing its upper arm toward the left, and serves to sustain the treadle J. It Will be seen without further explanation that by depressing the said treadle the upper arm of the lever or dog H will be thrown to the right, carrying with it for one step the sliding plate F, which movement releases the shortest of the leaf-turning arms which at such time are within the recess 6. The arm 0 thus released carries with it from right to left, by means of its upwardly-projecting arm D, the music-leaf which in arranging or setting the device had been superposed upon said arm. As soon as the arm has been released the foot is removed from the treadle J, whereupon the spring K returns the lever II to its normal position. During such return of said lever the plate F is retained in the position to which it has been moved by the springactuated pawl L. L is an eccentric mounted above said pawl, and adapted,when turned with its radius of greatest length toward the pawl, to depress the latter and hold it out of engagement with the rack f This permits the movement of the slide F to the left.

M is a plate which incloses the block E, but which is cut away to afford access to recess e, and also to permit the passage of the The outer end of said shaft is provided witha handle or crank Z, by means of which the eccentric may be turned and the pawl depressed, soas to be disengaged from the plate Fto permit the latter to be moved to the left in setting the rangement or setting of the device for turning a given number of leaves, I provide a,

gage or scale. This may be conveniently made, as shown in Fig. 4, by a graduation S, marked upon the plate M, to which is related a mark .9 upon the slide N.

In arranging the device for turning, say, six leaves the book is placed upon the musicrack opened at the end of the piece to be played. The uppermost and right-hand arm 0 is then turned to the right, so that its end will enter the recess 6, where it will be retained by sliding the slide N, carrying with it the slide F, onestep to the left. For this purpose the handle Z will have been turned into a vertical position by means of the eccentric L to depress the pawl L. The last leaf of the piece is then turned to the right, so as to lie upon the projection D of the first arm 0. The next arm is turned to the right and engaged in a similar manner, the next leaf of. the piece turned over upon it, and so on until the mark 3 registers with the mark 6 of the graduation S. The handle Z is now returned to its horizontal position, when said slides will be ready to release the six leafturning arms as soon as they shall, by means of the lever II and its connections, already described, be moved one step to the right.

The operation of my invention has been sufficiently indicated in the foregoing specification of its construction and the relation of its parts.

It will be understood that the device as a whole may be readily applied to or removed at Will from the piano or music-stand.

Having described my invention, what I claim is I 1. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the spring-actuated arms having fingers to turn the leaves, of the block having a recess to receive the projecting ends of said armsthe projections thereof extending beyond the fingersand the sliding rack resting partly over said recess and said ends of the arms, the propelling-pawl engaging said rack and itself actuated by suitable means, a spring pressing upon said rack, and a retainingpawl for said rack, the same being arranged for operation, substantially as set forth.

2. In a leaf-turner, the combination, with the leaf-turning arms, of a slide provided with a rack, a pivoted lever for actuating the rack, a pawl for preventing the retrograde movement of the slide, and an actuating device for temporarily depressing said pawl to permit the setting of the device, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of July, A. D. 1888.

MARIANO BOTELLO.

\Vitnesses:

JULIO GARIRA, EDUARDO MONTIEL. 

